Boy Scout council 'devastated' by United Way cuts -program for inner-city children lost

philly.com ^

[Uncle Meat]

And the "I-have-to-contribute-or-my-company-will-get-mad" cowards are the worst of all.

I worked as a contractor in a company that was gung ho in the American Way fund raising.They were always shaking their employees down for cash.Those who didn't give were usually pressured into digging deep in their pockets for fear of being ran off.They had a big red thermomiter scale in the security area showing the progress.I shouldn't have to tell you what that thing looked like to me.

[Kuksool]

It was a GA Senator, Democrat Max Cleland. He voted against an amendment in the No Child Left Behind Act that barred federal funding to goverment schools that denied public access to the Boy Scouts. Republican Saxby Chambliss hammered him over that vote. Chambliss defeated Cleland 53-46, giving the GOP a Senate pick up.

[chuckwalla]

Let's sacrifice everything for the fudge packers

[Kuksool]

Republicans ought to acquire the mailing list of the Boy Scouts, talk to the parents, and have them share petitions with friends to redress the grievances caused by liberal special interest groups. With the rise of Howard Dean, the Democrats are being held captive by extreme left wing groups. We should also use the liberal assault on the Boy Scouts as an albatross to tie around the necks of Democrats.

[fightu4it]

The Boy Scouts organization which used to teach young men to stand on their own two feet is now complaining that they can't stand on their own two feet?

I beg to differ. They need to rid themselves of the idea that the only way they can survive is by accepting funds from organizations that attach unwanted strings to their "gifts".

Go door to door with your campaign every year. No strings attached, either you support or you don't!

I'll bet the farm people will support.

[logician2u]

As far as I am concerned, we should boycott the United Way everywhere not just the areas of the country where they enforce an extreme leftist agenda.

Agree totally.

And while we're about it, if only the FReepers on this thread wrote letters to the corporate sponsors of United Way offering to take their business elsewhere, I believe it would get noticed. Much of the United Way's clout in fund-raising is, after all, owed to the executives companies loan out to the organization for its annual begathon. These folks need to feel the lash of public accountability.

[diamond6]

Only SEVEN people on this thread want to help financially. I hope I'm wrong. Its easy to give lip service and another to do something about it!

[scripter]

...INSTUCTED to donate a certain percentage of their paycheck to United Way.

In 1989 I worked for Amdahl Corp. The company desired a certain United Way award (can't remember what it was called) for reaching X number of employees giving to the United Way, and giving over a certain amount. I too was intructed to donate... or be fired. I asked to be fired but it never happened.

[logician2u]

Those who didn't give were usually pressured into digging deep in their pockets for fear of being ran off.

Used to be union goons that hit up workers for "contributions" but with fewer unionized employees that doesn't happen so often these days. Just as well.

In too many companies, employees are coerced into checking off a payroll deduction for weekly contributions to things like United Way but given no option to pick and choose their charities. They have to write a check if they wish to donate to the Boy Scouts, for instance.

That is, after they have made their mandatory contribution to the company's favorite charity -- if they can still afford to.

[Kuksool]

The United Way has a good extortion racket going on. Even if the local UW chapter cuts its ties to the Boy Scouts, I believe people can still donate to the Scouts through the UW by declaring the Scouts as the beneficiary. However, the UW would take a significant chuck of the donation to cover "administrative fees" for an outside group.

[chance33_98]

The BSA used a particular argument in court to say they are a private organization and can exclude those they don't believe fit thier values. They won.

First - The united way conrtibuted to them before any of this sort of thing came to light. They found them to be a worthwhile cause. The united way changed their rules, the BSA didn't.

Second - People on here have the right, as does UW, to say they no longer feel an organization is worth sending money to for various reasons. The UW changed it's mind, and now many here are.

[I still care]

Congrats, pram. Sometimes just one voice can change so much.

[scripter]

the UW would take a significant chunk of the donation to cover "administrative fees" for an outside group.

Yep. I have never understood why folks give to organizations like the United Way. I 'spose it makes it easier in keeping your tax write offs organizied. There's probably benefits that I'm unaware of... Still, I have always given directly to my organizations of choice.

[nmh]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[FourPeas]

Do we really want to give money to a BSA council that decided to cave-in on the homosexual agenda just so it could get some money? It seems to me that this council only has a problem with the national BSA who wants the scounts to retain their convictions.

[FourPeas]

Another thing I don't see is outrage at the local council for giving into this, or thanks to the National board for putting a stop to it.

That puzzles me also.

[demkicker]

Do we really want to give money to a BSA council that decided to cave-in on the homosexual agenda just so it could get some money? It seems to me that this council only has a problem with the national BSA who wants the scounts to retain their convictions.

IMO, the local council needs support now more than ever. Lipson, the board's chairman, sounds like he's a limp wrist who is dying to cave in. If this BSA chapter gets money from outside sources to fund their after school programs, they can tell Lipson and the UW to take a hike.

[Think free or die]

Our sons belong to a cub pack which is part of the Cradle of Liberty Council. We were very relieved when our local council backed down after being challenged by the national level BSA leadership on the anti-discrimination issue. It threatened to tear our pack apart, and there was already discussion underway about whether we would have an unaffiliated pack rather than belong to the COL council under these terms.

The Cradle of Liberty Council serves both urban and suburban youth. It was formed when the suburban Valley Forge Council was merged with the urban Philadelphia Council. The needs and resources of the youngsters vary considerably within the tri-county area served by our council. This funding loss has the potential to affect a large number of youngsters. Our council serves over 80,000 scouts.

I checked the website to see where contributions could best be sent, for those who would like to support our council. The site is undergoing renovation, and it isn't entirely clear which of the two main addresses is most appropriate for donations. I will provide the Valley Forge address, since I've frequently dealt with the people there, and have confidence that they could re-direct any correspondence if necessary:

Cradle of Liberty Council, BSA
Roger S. Firestone
Scouting Resource Center,
1485 Valley Forge Rd
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 688 6900

The website for the COL council is http://www.colbsa.org/

We receive appeals for donations from the council periodically. I expect that we'll start hearing more urgent appeals now. Any Freeper support would be very helpful to keeping this council going, and would be greatly appreciated by the leaders and the youngsters.

[Kuksool]

BTTT